Illuminating fixture



3, 1955 M. GREENSPAN 2,723,341

ILLUMINATING FIXTURE Filed Feb. 19, 1952 INVENTOR. M02215 GREL'NSPAN ATTORNEY United States Patent ILLUMINATING FIXTURE Morris Greenspan, New York, N. Y.

Application February 19, 1952, Serial No. 272,415

9 Claims. (Cl. 240-2) This invention relates to illuminating fixtures and, more specifically, is concerned with an illuminated floral vase.

It is an object of my invention to provide a lighting fixture of the character described which contains and illuminates a botanical display in an unusual and attractive manner and at the same time indirectly annd dimly lights a room so as not to interfere with the viewing of television.

It is another object of my invention to provide a fixture of the character described, the parts of which are so arranged that there is natural ventilation of the source of illumination without unsightly ventilation openings.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a fixture of the character described which, except for the lighting components, consists of a single piece so that the fixture is rugged and solid, and is inexpensive to make.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the device hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. l is a front perspective view of a vase constructed in accordance with my invention and shown as it appears in use; i

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the vase;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

' Fig. 4 is a top view of the vase.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral denotes an illuminatedvase. Said vase includes an open-top upstanding opaque container 12 whose bottom is formed in one piece with the front and side edges of the top of a base 14. The container and base may have their outer surfaces suitably ornamented, as for example, decorated and glazed, to provide an attractive appearance.

The base supports an upstanding electric light socket 16 and for such purpose its top Wall is provided with an opening 18 through which a threaded nipple 20 extends. The upper end of the nipple is screwed into the bottom of the light socket and the lower end of the nipple receives a clamping nut 22. An electric wire 24 extends through an opening 26 in the side of the base and then through the nipple 20 into the light socket. The light socket is adapted to receive a conventional incandescent electric light bulb 28. In the preferred form of my invention the axis of symmetry of the bulb is vertical.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention the container 12 is of elongated horizontal section and the longitudinal axis of said section extends beyond both sides of the bulb for a distance at least equal to the maximum diameter of the bulb; in addition, the bulb is located right in back of the container. As a result of this construction and arrangement the container completely conceals the bulb 28 from the front of the vase and prevents direct or strong rays of light from impinging on the eyes of a person watching a television screen.

Moreover, the sides of the container extend rearwardly beyond the center of the back of the container to at least the back of the light bulb (see Figs. 3 and 4) whereby when the back of the vase is placed near (a foot or so away from) the wall of a room the sides as well as the front of the bulb are shielded from persons in the room. This construction of the container and base blocks the front, sides and bottom of the bulb but leaves the back and top of the bulb exposed thereby permitting a free flow of air up and around the bulb so as to provide ample ventilation and prevent overheating of the bulb, the container and a natural or artificial botanical display 30 in the latter. 7

The top of the bulb is a substantial distance (at least the maximum diameter of the bulb) below the open top of the container as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

When the vase is placed with its back facing and near the wall of a room, the bulb will light up an area of the wall immediately in back of and around the container thereby forming a rough oval of indirect soft light which silhouettes the vase and its display. Light rays issuing from the bulb and striking the wall of the room will create a circle of background illumination, but because the back of the container towering over the bulb reflects light from its vitreous surface, the illuminated area will be vertically elongated to silhouette the botanical display.

Light reflected from the wall will strike the backs of objects such as flowers, leaves and the like in the display. This secondary illumination is not strong enough to brilliantly light up the objects held by the container but will just gently glow through thin, semi-transluscent objects such as leaves and single petals,being unable to penetrate heavier objects such as branches, centers of flowers and heavy veins of leaves. As a result the illumination afforded by the lamp is highly unusual and attractive. The vase and its display are silhouetted by a background of lighted Wall surface, the centers of all the flowers and the branches are dark, and the leaves and petals glow gently (see Fig. 1).

In the preferred form of my invention the container comprises an inner wall 32 of frusto-conical shape. The wall extends from the top of the base to a point well above the top of the envelope of the lamp. Desirably the axis of symmetry of the rear surface of the inner wall 32 is substantially coincident with the axis of symmetry of the bulb and said rear wall is quite close to the bulb so as to keep the area of background illumination narrow. Said inner wall is not a complete frusto-conical surface, a rear segment thereof being cut away so that the back edges of said wall are behind the axis of symmetry of the bulb. Approximately of the frusto-conical surface is deleted so that the two front quadrants of the frustoconical surface are present in their entirety together with about 25 of each of the rear quadrants.

The container also includes a front Wall 34 which likewise is of frusto-conical configuration and is coincident with the inner wall 32. The space between the two walls is sufiicient to provide ample room for containing the lower concealed part of an artificial botanical display or earth or similar substance in which a living botanical display may be planted. The front wall is somewhat longer angularly than the inner wall so that the same extends rearwardly to a point which is at least at the back of the envelope of the lamp bulb whereby the lamp bulb cannot be seen from either side.

The rear edges of the front and inner walls are connected by back walls 36.

It thus will be seen that there is provided a device 3 which achieves all the objects of the invention and is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described, or shown in the accompanying drawings, is .to .be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, there is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent:

1 An illuminated floral vase comprising an open-top upstanding opaque horizontally elongated container having a front wall and a rear wall and an opaque base in one piece With the container and supporting the same, the bottom of said container constituting the top of the base, an electric light socket adapted to receive a light bulb, means to support said socket on said base in an upstanding position, the front wall of the container extending laterally beyond each side of a bulb in said socket for a distance at least equal to the maximum diameter of the bulb, said socket being so located with respect to the rear wall of the container that the bulb is disposed right in back of the container, the ends of the front wall of the container extending rearwardly beyond the center of the rear wall of the container to at least the back of said bulb, the top of said container being located a substantial distance above the top of said bulb, the top and back of said bulb being exposed.

2. An illuminated floral vase comprising an open-top upstanding opaque horizontally elongated container having a front wall and a rear wall and an opaque base in one piece with the container and supporting the same, the bottom of said container constituting the top of the base, an electric light socket adapted to receive a light .bulb, means to support said socket on said base in an upstanding position, the front wall of the container extending laterally beyond each side of a bulb in said socket for a distance .at least equal to the maximum diameter of the bulb, said socketbeing so located with respect to the rear wall of the container that the bulb is disposed right in backof the container, the top of said container .being located a substantial distance above the top of said :bulb, the top and back of said bulb being exposed.

3. An illuminated floral vase comprising an open-top upstanding opaque horizontally elongated container having a front Wall and a rear wall and an opaque base in one .piece with the container and supporting the same,=the ibottomofsaid container constituting the topof the base, an electric light socket adapted to receive a light bulb, means .to support said socket on said base in an upstanding position, the front .wall of the container extending laterally beyond each side of a bulb in said socket for .a distance at least equal to the maximum diameter of the bulb, said socket being so located with respect to the rear Wall of the container that the bulb is disposed right in back of .the container, the ends of the front wall of the container extending rearwardly beyond the center of the ,rear wall .of the container to at least the back of said bulb, the top and backof said bulb being exposed.

4. An illuminated floral vase comprising an open top upstanding opaque horizontallyelongated container having a front wall and a rear wall and an opaque base in :one piece .with the container and supporting the same, the bottom of said container constituting the top of the base, an electric light socket adapted to receive a light bulb, means to support said socket on said base in'an upstanding position, the front wall of the container extending laterally beyond each side of a bulb in said socket for a distance at least equal to the maximum diameter of the bulb, said socket being so located with respect to the rear wall of the container that the bulb is disposed right in back of the container, the top and back of said bulb being exposed.

5. An illuminated floral vase comprising an opentop upstanding opaque vitreous horizontally elongated container having a front wall and a rear wall and an opaque base in one piece with the container and supporting the same, the bottom of said container constituting the top of the base, an electric light socket adapted to receive a light bulb, means to support said socket on said base in an upstanding position, the front wall of the container extending laterally beyond each side of a bulb in said socket for a distance at least .equal to the maximum diameter of the bulb, said socket being so located with respect to the rear wall of the container that the bulb is disposed right in back of the container, the ends of the front wall of the container extending rearwardly beyond the center of the rear wall of the container to at least the back of said bulb, the top of said container being located a substantial distanceabove the top of said bulb, the top and back of said bulb being exposed.

6. An alluminated floral vase as set forth in claim 1 wherein the container is curved and is forwardly convex.

7. An illuminated floral vase as set forth in claim 1 wherein the container is curved and forwardly convex and is substantially concentric with the socket.

8. An illuminated floral vase as set forth in claim 1 wherein the container is frusto-conical, diverging upwardly.

9. An illuminated floral vase comprising an open-top upstanding opaque horizontally elongated container having a front wall, a rear wall, a bottom wall and end walls, and an opaque base in one piece with the container and supporting the same, the bottom wall of said container constituting the top of the .base, an electric light socket adapted to receive a light bulb, means to support said socket on said base in an upstanding position, the rear wall of the container being in proximity to the bulb and the ends of the rear wall of the container extending rearwardly and likewise being in proximity to the bulb, the ends of the front wall of the container extending rearwardly at least as far as the back of the bulb, the end walls ofthe container connecting the ends of the front and back walls of the container, the ends of said container thereby shielding the bulb from both sides thereof, the top of said container beinglocated a substantial distance above the top of said bulb whereby to shield thebulb from t f m, th p and b ck f sa d bu b b i exposed at the top and rear of the container, the front wall of the n a e ex e di l te al be d ea side of the bulb in said socket for a distance at least equal to the maximum diameter of the bulb.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,758,130 Shoemaker May 13, 1930 2,321,872 Szalla June 15, 1943 2,559,313 Nordstrom July 3, 1951 

